SOS = 8 weeks of My Man Gone

SOS is an 8 week course held in Montgomery, Alabama. Not everyone gets selected to go so your spouse may never have to complete it in residence (meaning attend the course in Alabama). Everyone has to complete it in correspondence though, which basically means via computer. For the Enlisted side having taken SOS in residence looks really good and will help them promote quicker. For Officer's it looks good but isn't essential. It definitely won't hurt you if you haven't completed SOS in residence. SOS is a course on the Air Force, it's mission, and leadership training. If you ask me, most days it sounds like the t.v. show Survivor! They complete missions, obstacle courses, team building games and the like. J is enjoying the break but he's ready to get home and start work again (or maybe he says that so I don't think he's having such a great time!).

J has been gone for 5 1/2 weeks now. I miss him terribly. Not simply because he's a STUD and I can't get enough of him as is, but because he's thousands of miles away and we can't talk on the phone often due to the time difference. Deployments and TDY's will happen, be prepared. 8 weeks is a long time and no matter how many spouses you meet in the military that say, "Ah, that's nothing," because their spouses may have deployed for 6+ months and laugh at your measly few weeks; it's STILL A LONG TIME. Sometimes all you need is to feel validated. I am grateful it's only 8 weeks (haha, you know you've been in the military long enough if you say only!) It hasn't been bad except for the missing his physical touch and presence in our lives. Always having people around you that have endured longer keeps you from complaining. Luckily I have great friends who are compassionate, always asking if I need anything. Which I don't but the fact that they care makes all the difference.

Keeping busy is such a blessing. The girls and I went on a 7 day cruise with friends and are headed on another week long vacation in 2 weeks. We'll get home the same day J does. Hey, J specifically told me he didn't want me sitting around all summer doing nothing! I know how to listen to My Man!

JAG hiring board

In one of the most recent JAG hiring boards they had over 700 applicants to review. Out of those 700 the board only hired 25. In the last board to meet the hiring number was greater, which is a good sign. Either way, it's an extremely competitive time to get accepted right now. Try to stay optimistic. For those that recently got accepted...welcome to a grand new adventure!!

Do I have to wait for bar results before they can start the Medical Clearance process?

You can reference my post in November of 2009 regarding the timeline of getting started with the JAG core. J couldn't start the Medical Clearance until he had passed the bar. If I remember correctly, pretty much once they accepted him, contingent on him passing the bar, there wasn't a single thing further we could do but wait.

UPDATE: Looks like you can now be medically cleared before receiving your bar results.

Taking 'Leave' aka Vacation time

J is leaving for 8 weeks this summer. Boo hoo for me. It will be a good break for him. It's more of a laid back course that doesn't involve real cases, clients, legal reviews or court martial. Thus he's looking forward to a break from the norm. With that said I have been a vacation planning machine! Since we'll be losing precious summer time with him, I planned a week for May in France, a week in August for Spain, and 10 days in September in Nice, France and Tuscany, Italy. We are spoiled, I know. But something is constantly looming over me...

Our good friends at our last base had 2 different vacations planned. Last minute, she had to cancel them because her husband had to work. He had the leave approved well in advance but as the date got closer, duty called. Granted he was an ADC and when you're put on a court that gets postponed and there's no flexibility, what can you do? Either way, I get nervous every time I book something that has a horrible cancellation policy. Even though we've been lucky and haven't had a problem thus far I still think how bummed I'd be. Although, I'm the selfish type that would likely still take the vacation without him. I mean, we won't be living in Europe forever! I have to make good use of our time. Heck, I'm taking my kids on a Baltic cruise in June when he's gone! After all, he doesn't want me sitting around at home bored all summer...right??

Yes, Sir.

Even though I'm not the military member, I am still required to respect rank. It's the unspoken rule. Our husbands are judged by what we do and say...lame. I know Colonel's have earned their rank and generally speaking I respect that but not one's that use their position of power to belittle.

Last week, I had to visit the Orthodontist to discuss treatment for my daughter. I felt completely demeaned by this Colonel, as if I was a nobody. As a result I got a little testy, called him out a couple times. After being lectured and thrown jabs here and there for a half an hour, he finally "suggested" I call my husband and have him join us. Great. I get to be demeaned all over again. Maybe he felt if my husband were there I would act different. He could demand respect from J, not me.

Oddly when J arrived the Colonel put on a "happy" act. He was completely different!! It was weird. Don't really know what to think about it but it sucked.

Change in Dental Provider

I don't know much about it...yet. Apparantly Tri Care has changed their provider from United Concordia to MetLife, effective May 2012. Here is a link

http://www.metlife.com/tricare/index.html#welcome

Are there many JAG spouses who are male?

I don't have a great answer for this because I have only been at two bases. This is what little information I can share to maybe give you some insight.

Out of the two bases I have personally met roughly 35 JAG's. Out of that number, eight were female. Only four of those female JAG's were married. I, however, only met two of their spouses and that was on a single occurence. Five of the eight had husbands that also worked in the Air Force.

UPDATE: I wanted to add what a female JAG commented (for those who don't read the comments!) Thank you so much and if there are any other readers who have knowledge to share, please do! I always welcome more information/opinions to publish for others to read. More prospective, the better.

--I'm currently a female married JAG. All of the female JAGs in my office (there are roughly 4 active duty) are married. Some have active duty husbands, and some don't. I met quite a few married female JAGs at my JASOC. While we are by no means the majority, there are more JAG husbands out there than you might think!--